West Nile hits California

West Nile virus, the mosquito-borne illness that killed 300people in the United States last year, is believed to have beenfound in Riverside County and local health officials are warningresidents to protect themselves and their pets from bugs that couldmake them sick.

Riverside County Health Officer Gary Feldman said Wednesday thattwo people who may have brought the disease into Riverside Countyare being tested for West Nile virus. The virus was also found in amosquito pool in Imperial County near the Riverside County borderand three chicken flocks in Coachella Valley are suspected to havethe virus.

The discovery of the virus, which causes fever, achiness andmeningitis, signals West Nile’s entrance into California.

“Based on the kind of mosquitoes and climate there, the statehad predicted that the first entry point of West Nile virus inCalifornia would be the Coachella Valley,” Feldman saidWednesday.

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County health officials will meet with members of the state’sWest Nile Virus Task Force today to discuss the next step now thatthe disease seems to have entered the area, Feldman said.

“We’ve already mapped out a plan for what we would do if WestNile virus was found in animals,” Feldman said. “The next step isto enact that plan.”

The first task, Feldman said, will be to get rid of mosquitolarvae to prevent the spread of the virus.

The infected mosquitoes were found at the Salton Sea, about 80miles northeast of San Diego. Chicken flocks in nearby Niland alsotested positive for the disease, according to preliminaryresults.

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The virus has infected about 600 people in at least 28 states,including Colorado, Texas and New Mexico. A large percentage ofpeople infected by mosquitoes show few or no symptoms, but elderlypeople, children and people with immune system problems are mostvulnerable to the virus, according to the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention in Atlanta.

The best way to protect against the virus and othermosquito-borne diseases is to protect yourself from the bugs in thefirst place, said the center. Residents should use flea and tickrepellent containing the chemical DEET and cover up with sleevesand pants. Residents should also empty all vessels containingstagnant water, including buckets, baby pools and any wet placewhere mosquitoes could breed.

“We’re not used to having to care about that, but now we need tocare,” Feldman said.